PEI is a quiet home to an incredible number of breathtaking places to see and memories to make. While it may not be possible to travel to your preferred destination (bring on the bubble!), why not take this as an opportunity to really get to know this place we call home, and to support your fellow Islanders by shopping locally.

Did you know that you can take a 1,000km+ road trip right here on Prince Edward Island? Read on to find out just how much our little Island has to offer, and how you can make this summer one to remember.

The Island is broken into three distinct drives: The North Cape Coastal Drive; The Central Coast Drive; and the Points East Coastal Drive. We’ll dig into what each one has to offer below. You can check out a map of the drives here.

North Cape Coastal Drive

The North Cape Coastal drive encompasses the western region of the province and stretches a 350 kilometer distance. If you follow the winding roads along the coast, you’ll discover breathtaking vistas, rolling hills, rugged red cliffs, dunes, beaches, and so much more.

There’s no shortage of things to do or places to see in western PEI. Whether you’re looking for adventure or relaxation, you’re sure to find something that suits your tastes.

The west end of the Island offers a wide variety of supervised and unsupervised beaches, as well as numerous natural beaches just waiting to be explored. You’ll also find 12 working harbours along the North Cape Coastal Drive, where fishermen and women pull in boats full of crab, lobster, and even bluefin tuna.

If you’re looking to head out on the water yourself, stop in at Tignish harbour (the largest small-craft harbour in the Maritimes) and try your luck with some deep-sea fishing. Or, if you’re less inclined to head out in open water, feel free to stop at any one of the dozens of estuaries and rivers for some relaxing fresh-water fishing (just be sure to grab an inexpensive fishing license first).

Prefer staying dry? See if you can find all 15 lighthouses that dot the western shores. You’ll find two distinct architectural styles: first-generation wooden octagonal structures built before 1873 (almost 150 years ago); or second generation lighthouses with gabled-roof structures and keepers’ houses.

If you’ve worked up an appetite after all these adventures, take a break with some delicious ice cream at one of the many local dairy bars in the area. Or, if you’re feeling something a little more substantial, there are countless places to indulge in some delicious Island food ranging from cafes and coffee houses, to pubs and breweries, seafood markets, and bakeries.

After lunch (or supper), play a round of golf at any one of the three courses on the western route. If golf isn’t your thing, perhaps you could check out the Lennox Island Cultural Centre, which offers a look into the 10,000 year history of the Mi’Kmaq First Nations people. Or, discover the history of the Evangeline region at the Acadian museum of PEI in Miscouche, beginning in the early days of settling the Island, right through to the Great Deportation.

At the end of a long day of experiences and memory-making, relax at any one of the seven provincial parks ranging from sheltered bays and woodlands, to wild surf and red sands. Many provincial parks include amenities such as campgrounds, play parks, and interpretive centers.

Central Coastal Drive

This brings our road trip to the central portion of the Island. The Central Coastal Drive dubs itself ‘The Best of Both Shores’ and runs for 253km. The Central Coastal Drive stretches west from Charlottetown to Summerside, and north to south from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Northumberland Strait. 

Central PEI has something to offer everyone. From beaches and parks, to wineries and arts, you’ll find it all on this Central Coastal Drive. When following this route, you’ll come across red sand shores on the south, and Green Gables shores on the North, all dotted with seaside villages and communities. Bold cliffs and sweeping stretches of white sand dunes border the ocean, while pastoral farmlands blanket the interior of the Island.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try some fun activities on the water with some sea kayaking or kiteboarding along the north shore. If that’s a little too extreme you can simply relax on any number of beautiful beaches that crop up the north and south shores, or explore some of the national and provincial parks in the region.

If you have kids, you might consider taking them to play with and pet the animals at one of two family-friendly farms in the region, whose ranks include miniature horses, several kinds of goats, miniature donkeys, rabbits, alpacas, and more. Round out the day by taking in a couple movies at the Island’s oldest drive-in movie theater (originally opened in the 1950s) that now features two screens showing a mixture of new releases and old family favourites.

Looking for more adult-friendly activities? Sit back and relax on a guided tour of some of the Island’s finest wineries, craft breweries, distilleries, and cideries. Afterwards, play through nine or 18 holes at one of the several destination golf courses in the area.

You won’t go hungry in Central PEI, as the area boasts a wide variety of eateries ranging from fine-dining to pubs. There are also many breweries and wineries, as well as cafes and coffeehouses, that are sure to satisfy any craving. Don’t forget to stop by one of the many dairy bars or ice cream shops for dessert!

For a more cultural experience, explore the 16 locations that make up The Inspiring Sites of L.M. Montgomery Literary Tour where you can delve into the world of PEI’s most famous author, and the incredible story in Anne of Green Gables. While in the Cavendish area, mix things up with the Cavendish Walking Tour that includes stops at the Haunted Woods (yes that’s a real place), Cavendish Cemetery, and Montgomery Park.

Finally, pick up the perfect keepsake for your road trip at one of the region’s many incredible art galleries or studios. Central PEI has everything from pottery, watercolor and oil paintings, to knitting and loomery. If fine art and handcrafted, one-of-a-kind goods inspire you, consider following the PEI Arts and Heritage Trail.

Points East Coastal Drive

Last, but certainly not l(east), is the Points East Coastal Drive, which is the longest of the three road trips on PEI coming in at a whopping 475km. The East is home to a number of extraordinary sites, sounds, and tastes on PEI. 

Let’s start with the beaches. All 50 of them. The Points East Coastal Drive beaches have the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. Included in those is the famous Basin Head, dubbed the best beach in Canada by vacay.ca in 2016. Basin Head features a marine protected area that’s home to a variety of Giant Irish Moss called Chondrus crispus, and is the only place in the world that this unique strain of moss can be found.

If you’re getting beach fatigue, why not seek out the six lighthouses in the region. The last lighthouse keeper on PEI retired from the Souris Lighthouse only 30 years ago. Canada’s Confederation lighthouse can be found at East Point (named after the year of its construction in 1867). It was one of the busiest lighthouses of its time, as it oversaw ‘the meeting of the tides’ - the waters where The Atlantic Ocean, Northumberland Strait, and the Gulf of St Lawrence meet, which created many challenges for ships in the past.

You'll have no trouble finding a tasty meal on the Points East Coastal Drive as there are over 100 places to eat. The region boasts pubs, fine dining, cafes and bakeries, food trucks, breweries, dairy bars, pizza places, seafood, and more.

Keeping with Island tradition there are 13 golf courses to choose from, as well as 12 provincial parks, and Greenwich National Park.  Greenwich features towering parabolic dunes, white sand beaches, and an extensive trail system including a floating boardwalk that is sure to charm any outdoors enthusiast. If that’s not enough to pique your interest, there are also 34 cultural and historical attractions, as well as six scenic heritage roads to discover and explore.

Our Tip-to-Tip Tips

It may be surprising that you can cover over 1,000km during an on-Island road trip. We recommend approaching your PEI road trip the same way you would any off-Island adventure.

While PEI may not seem like a very big place, you can still spend quite a bit of time on the road. Pack a bag or cooler with your favourite snacks to go along with your preferred driving tunes. You can still have an incredible time even if you choose to stay in your car and engage in sightseeing only.

If you'e feeling ambitious, we recommend making a plan, as there's a lot to take in on an Island road trip! Creating themes, or ‘tours’ can be a fun way to get around from place to place in an organized way. Your itinerary could include a tour of Island lighthouses, dairy bars, provincial and national parks, historic sites, harbours, breweries, trail systems, or any of the other amazing locales our Island has to offer.

We often overlook the place we live as being a viable (fun) option when considering where to travel. This summer provides the perfect opportunity to really appreciate the natural beauty and calm of our little Island. It’s also a great opportunity to continue supporting local, as our Island tourism businesses would gratefully accept any help and appreciation we as Islanders can provide.

Let us know which of PEI's beautiful tourist destinations you enjoyed most! Submit your road trip photos to newsletter@centennialautogroup.ca to be featured on our website and social media pages.